The production of ready-to-drink iced tea beverages which are crystal clear, cold water soluble and stable when the formulation is acidified for balanced fruit flavors and/or microbiological stability has been difficult to achieve, when using either fresh brewed tea solids or instantized tea ingredients. When all natural, real brewed tea based products are to be produced, preparation of clear beverages is especially difficult due to tea cream formation and acid instability. This is especially evident when the preferred black teas are employed.
Japanese patent application No. 61-68186 filed Mar. 27, 1986 employs a hot water decoction of black tea to which a selected amount of a solution of high methoxy pectin is added. The combination is acidified with citric acid to about pH 3 and observed for turbidity. The mixture is said to remain with no turbidity for about one month.
The use of high methoxy pectin to stabilize acidified milk drinks is discussed in several product brochures by Hercules and by Copenhagen Pectin A/S.
Cold extraction of vegetable matter is disclosed in German patent application DE 3203100A1 disclosure date Aug. 4,1983 and Canadian patent 927664.
A cloud system for beverage mixes containing methoxy pectin is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,613.
JP 4,045,774 discloses ultrafiltration of green tea to preserve it by removing high molecular weight components one of which is pectin.
GB 1,294,543 discloses addition of pectin isolated from tea leaf to tea extracts prior to spray drying, for control of powder density.